This invention relates generally to fabric wall panels for use in decorating, and more particularly concerns fabric wall panels which can either be prefabricated and installed as desired or can be custom fabricated at the construction site to provide a precise fit.
In finishing interior space in buildings, fabric wall panels provide a number of highly desirable features. First, the fabric covering provides a large selection of textures and patterns which can be coordinated with the furnishings and carpets in the rooms. In addition, fabric panels also can provide both sound and heat insulation. Particularly, acoustical insulation and muting in large rooms or auditoriums may be highly desirable. In that regard, modification of the room s acoustical characteristics can be achieved further by providing fabric panels which include a layer of acoustical material hidden behind the fabrics.
A number of fabric panels have been proposed such as that shown in Baslow U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,260. The Baslow patent discloses an assembly of border pieces which are permanently attached to the wall to form a framework for mounting a fabric sheet which completely covers the wall without being adhered to the wall itself. The linear border pieces include a keyway into which the fabric is forced by means of a compressible spline and a storage channel which allows the excess material at the edges to be tucked into the border pieces to create a finished look at the edges. Baslow does not disclose a fabric panel which can be prefabricated for attachment to the wall but instead only discloses fabric panels which can be installed in situ.
Wall panel systems which require installation of the frame prior to covering with fabric limit the contractor's ability to realize cost savings through prefabrication where the panels are to be used as accent pieces and do not necessarily have to fit the wall precisely. Moreover, the prior art wall panels inevitably provide a finished edge along which the framing member itself is visible.